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Looking to change my car ..... Any advice on what to buy ?

J

Joe Fletcher

No Longer a Member
Any advice guys on what car to buy and what not to buy ? About 5 years ago I bought a Nissan X - Trail 2.2 Dci SVE .... It has served me well for my fishing ,,, The problem has been for the last couple of years I have had no end of problems with it and decided its time to get shot of it Repairs and spares are expensive and I wont be buying another one .
I am thinking of turning to a petrol engine car and not diesel owing to the fact the road tax is going up for diesel engine cars .
 
I have a Volvo V70, best fishing car going...bags of room and ultra reliable. If you want 4x4 then the XC70.

Just to add I would not worry about diesels unless your driving in cities.....

are you looking at new or used?
 
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Joe, tax is only going up only on new diesels, not second hand ones. If you want a 4x4, I'd recommend a freelander, great on and off road.
 
The Subaru Outback is a good motor for fishing as well as general use. 4x4, good engine, spec and a sunroof, for when the brass ferrules refuse to budge. :)
 
I wanted my 12ft rods 'made up' (i.e. 6ft) to go straight into my tailgate, and I wanted leather seats...which are much easier to clean than fabric. I ended up buying an X type Jag estate (2.2 diesel)..front wheel drive, based on a Granada chassis, 44mpg, and under 10 secs 0-60. Cheap as chips now. Had it nearly 7yrs, it's sailed through every MOT, and all I've had done is put new tyres on. Brilliant, solid motor.
 
Joe Fletcher said:
Chris I have a budget of about £5000 . I cant afford to buy new .
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I wasn't assuming you were Joe. Personally I'd still stick with a diesel, for now, it's all I've driven for many years. Subaru Outback? If it's a 2x2 you fancy. I've had a 1.8 tdci Focus Estate for 3 years now. Prob the best diesel engine Ford have produced. 60 mpg on a run, no prob. Comfortable, spacious and quick.
 
You wouldn’t go far wrong with a Skoda Octavia. German quality with a price reduction. Cops and taxi drivers love them, always a ringing endorsement.
 
I was in the motor trade for over 20 yrs, Lancia/ used sports cars, 7 years with VW/Audi , another 7 with BMW , these days I love Citroens, good build quality, as good, if not better than BMW, brilliant parts service, the best diesel engines, some stinkers too. Avoid the 1.6 HDI.
They're not called 'les indestructables' in France for nothing. I would only ever buy one (for myself) with the Hydraulic suspension. Others wouldn't buy one with it.
To me, spending a couple of hours in a car, both ways, shouldn't feel like the equivalent time in a punishment cell. In my Citroen I can drive whatever distance and still look forward to the drive home. Did 225 miles in one go last time going up to the Tees. About 4 hrs, arrived fresh as a daisy.
Worth a look, their massive early depreciation makes them very good value for money.
C5 2.0 HDI exclusive estate for me before long. With the heated/memory/ full leather interior.
 
Chris Guy said:
I wasn't assuming you were Joe. Personally I'd still stick with a diesel, for now, it's all I've driven for many years. Subaru Outback? If it's a 2x2 you fancy. I've had a 1.8 tdci Focus Estate for 3 years now. Prob the best diesel engine Ford have produced. 60 mpg on a run, no prob. Comfortable, spacious and quick.
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Yes, a Subaru Outback. Ever seen, owned or driven one? Not sure if your remark's contemptuous or just driven (pun intended) by ignorance.
 
For 5k, you could get a brilliant second hand hackney cab, ( just make sure its got the 2.7 nissan engine, good for a million miles plus if you look after it. ) takes 6 ft made up rods no problem. Tons of room for the rest of your gear. Been using mine as my fishing bus for over 30 years. If i can pick one fault, which is no great deal unless your driving over muddy fields. it doesn't have 4 wheel drive. You might even get a flag on the way to your venue, pay for your fuel :D which is illegal of course, unless its plated/licensed by your local authority. :)
 
Depends where your priority lies. If it's mainly a fishing wagon, then for £5k you would get a good land rover discovery which will handle muddy tracks with no bother.
If its mainly a family car with fishing secondary, then a 3 - 4 year old estate like a Focus would be more comfortable but not great in the mud.
I have been stuck two or three times when I had a two wheel drive estate, and its not much fun on a wet Sunday evening gathering sticks from the hedge to get traction.
Subaru Legacy estate would give you best of both worlds, but £5k will only get you a 6-8 year old model. I had two and loved them. But, the petrol models are very thirsty and spares when required very expensive.
Mike
 
Paul Collins said:
I was in the motor trade for over 20 yrs, Lancia/ used sports cars, 7 years with VW/Audi , another 7 with BMW , these days I love Citroens, good build quality, as good, if not better than BMW, brilliant parts service, the best diesel engines, some stinkers too. Avoid the 1.6 HDI.
They're not called 'les indestructables' in France for nothing. I would only ever buy one (for myself) with the Hydraulic suspension. Others wouldn't buy one with it.
To me, spending a couple of hours in a car, both ways, shouldn't feel like the equivalent time in a punishment cell. In my Citroen I can drive whatever distance and still look forward to the drive home. Did 225 miles in one go last time going up to the Tees. About 4 hrs, arrived fresh as a daisy.
Worth a look, their massive early depreciation makes them very good value for money.
C5 2.0 HDI exclusive estate for me before long. With the heated/memory/ full leather interior.
Click to expand...

I had a top spec C5, loved it, comfiest car I've ever driven. I was working at a local millionaires place and after driving mine he chopped his merc in for one!

The next comfiest was my old Austin Ambassador:D
 
You could do a lot worse than a Honda CRV...4x4 very reliable by all reports (I have only had mine 6 months but did a lot of research prior to buying) loads of room for kit with the back seats flat...you’d get a good one for 5k.
 
camo car.JPG

Well?
 
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